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2025 Classes
CLASS LEVELS: 1–Beginner | 2–Advanced Beginner | 3–Intermediate | 4–Advanced | 5–Expert
Cuban Dance
Elian Carbone
- Week 1
All levels
A survey of diverse Cuban dance styles. Learn the basics of social dances (casino, rueda de casino, don, mambo, cha-cha-chá), folkloric forms (rumba), and urban genres (reggaeton, reparto). Styles will be explored across solo (“suelta”), partner, and group contexts. Special attention will be given to the ways these dance styles can improve your musicianship.
The Songwriter Toolbox
Elian Carbone
- Week 1
Level 2–4
We’ll explore songwriting tools such as prosody, recoloring, reharmonization, forward motion, and spotlighting. The class is a creative space: expect plenty of writing, playing, tweaking, and collaborating.
Bass 101
Luke Clingerman
- Week 1
Level 1–2
The perfect space for those who are new to the instrument, looking for a refresher, or just interested in the bass! In this class we will cover the basics needed to get you playing with confidence and accuracy. Topics will include how to get a good tone, correct hand positions, what makes a good bassline, and how to fit in various styles of music.
Walking Bass and More!
Luke Clingerman
- Week 1
Level 3–5
This intermediate class is for those who want to take a closer look at the techniques, rhythms, and grooves that shape jazz style bass playing. Starting with the blues and classic jazz standards, we will talk about walking bass lines, improvisation, understanding chord symbols, and common chord progressions. We’ll use skills learned to help inform our creation of basslines in all genres. Suggested prerequisite: acquaintance with basic major scales and triads.
Irish Repertoire/Three Handy Sets!
Marla Fibish
- Week 1
Level 2–4
A repertoire class and then some! We’ll learn Irish tunes in a few seisiún-ready sets (clusters of tunes) so you’ll have them in your pocket the next time someone asks you to start a tune. We’ll talk about Irish music sensibilities and musicality, and work on getting the lift of the music into your playing. We’ll talk about how to enjoy and get the most out of playing in seisiúns, the natural habitat of Irish music. Recordings and notation of the tunes we’ll be working with are available here, so you can give the tunes a good listen and get them lodged in your head. Open to all instruments!
Slow Is Beautiful!
Marla Fibish
- Week 1
Level 2–3
Newer mandolin players often avoid waltzes and slower tunes for fear of making the long notes sing. In this workshop we’ll look at techniques in addition to the commonly used tremolo to bring out the beauty in the slower music on the mandolin. Improving our picking and fingering technique to maximize sustain, adding simple ornamentation like hammer-ons, slides, grace notes, double stops and drones, and creating an underlying bed of rhythm and movement with our picking on which the tune can dance. And we’ll learn some beautiful tunes in the process!
Theory Applied to Guitar
Nina Gerber
- Week 1
Level 3–5
Knowing where you are, where you’re going, and how to get there makes for a smoother trip. This class will start you on the path to understanding the fretboard. Whether you’re looking to play more leads or find more chords, a little knowledge goes a long way (practicing helps too).
Play Well With Others
Nina Gerber
- Week 1
Level 4–5
Playing music with others can be a deeply moving, exciting experience. In this class, we’ll explore ways of playing together without banging out the same chords the same way at the same time as everyone else. From using different voicings, to different rhythms, to different melodic lines, to knowing when to play and when to lay out, we’ll experiment with ways to play music WITH each other instead of AT each other.
The Magic of Modes
Ryan David Green
- Week 1
Level 2–4
The modes provide us with a wide range of emotional colors far beyond just plain old major and minor keys. Each day we’ll explore a new mode and its unique tonality, look at some well-known songs that use that mode, learn how to write our own songs in that mode, and even learn some melodic basics to play melodies or solos in that mode.
Arranging Pop/Rock Songs for Solo Guitar
Ryan David Green
- Week 1
Level 2–4
Ever wished you could play the chords and melody to a song all together on the guitar? You can! Each day we’ll take a pop/rock song and arrange it for solo guitar in real time. The arrangements will be complete, recognizable, and full sounding, while remaining accessible. (Bring a capo.)
Advanced-Beginner Swing Guitar
Sylvia Herold
- Week 1
Level 3
This class is a continuation of “Intro to Swing Guitar.” We’ll play songs that rely heavily on 6 and 7 chords. Then we’ll gradually add the next level of four-note jazz chords: minor 7 and diminished chords. These chords open the door to a broad repertoire of swing and jazz, and we’ll spend most of our time playing and singing a selection of sophisticated but not-too-difficult swing songs. This class might be appropriate for students who have not taken Intro to Swing if they have some experience with jazz and are up for a challenge.
Great American Songbook: Intermediate Swing Guitar
Sylvia Herold
- Week 1
Level 3–4
This class is for those who have previously taken a couple of swing guitar classes. We’ll play a selection of standards, ballads, Latin, and show tunes as you expand your chord vocabulary—including inversions—and practice right-hand strumming for that all-important swing feel. Soloing and singing are encouraged!
Swing/Jazz Band Lab
Ed Johnson
- Week 1
Level 3–5
Calling all instruments and voices! Learn to make a joyful noise together, working with standards from the Great American Songbook, blues, and Latin repertoire. Learn how to work through a chart, put together an ensemble arrangement, cue bandmates, and give a song its best presentation. Charts provided daily; music reading skills are helpful but not a prerequisite.
Brazilian Song Repertoire
Ed Johnson
- Week 1
Level 4–5
Learn the techniques for playing Brazilian samba, bossa nova, baião, and other regional styles, through the beautiful, timeless songs of artists such as Ivan Lins, Milton Nascimento, Chico Buarque, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joyce, Rosa Passos, and others. Standard notation and tablature is provided daily, and vocalists are more than welcome to attend—these songs are meant to be sung!
Jump on the Ukulele Wave
Steve Kritzer
- Week 1
Level 1–2
If you’ve been wanting to see what all the fuss is about with this rapidly growing, easy to play, and fun instrument, now’s the time. We’ll start with some easy two-, three-, and four-chord songs with tricks for easier chord changes. We’ll cover some of the basic right-hand strums including the popular “island” strum, and practice singing and playing at the same time. Might even get to a little fingerpicking! If you know a few of the basic chords (C, G7, Am, F), that would be helpful, but if you’re a total newby, we’ll get you caught up right away.
Beginning Guitar
Steve Kritzer
- Week 1
Level 1–2
If you’re a newby or have just been playing a short while, this class will quickly give you the tools to play on your own or join in with others. Using fun, easy, and familiar songs, we’ll cover tricks to more fluid chord changes, some basic strums, how to sing and play at the same time, and maybe even a little “boom-chuck” and flatpicking.
Instigator
Adam Kulakow
- Week 1
All levels
Whether it’s finding (or starting) that perfect jam or helping you pick the right class for your interests and level, I’m here to help. Want support for a song you’re working on? Ask me! Want to play a tune? Let’s play!
Jamming Skills and Repertoire
Adam Kulakow
- Week 1
Level 2–3
Let’s get you grooving on a variety of songs and styles, from folk, country, and swing to blues, bluegrass, and rock. How do you build repertoire? How can you have fun playing with other people and offer more at a jam session? We’ll learn chords and strums that go with our favorite songs along with a bass run, fill, or riff that can light up a campfire. We’ll discuss jam etiquette and some classic dos and don’ts. We’ll also explore theory basics like notes, chord progressions, and keys so that you can deepen your musical vocabulary and have more ease joining the jam or trying your hand at improv. The better you understand how songs work, the easier they are to learn and remember. All instruments welcome.
Old-Time Harmony Singing
Evie Ladin
- Week 1
All levels
Whether you want to learn more about finding harmony parts, feel stronger about holding harmonies, be more confident in your vocal technique, increase your repertoire of Appalachian songs, or just enjoy singing in harmony in an old-time style, this class is for you. We’ll use a variety of approaches in the tradition to increase your skills. Exploring Carter Family songs, hymns, and other old-time songs, we’ll sing sing sing, while developing skills for listening, blending, and making harmonic choices.
Clawhammer Banjo
Evie Ladin
- Week 1
Level 2–4
What is that rhythmic whomp that makes clawhammer banjo so funky? How does clawhammer banjo fit into any jam? Emphasizing ear training and skills for jamming in any style, we’ll take a look at tuning, rhythmic patterns, and exploring the neck to be able to play with anyone in the clawhammer style. Including and beyond tune repertoire, the class will address the gaps in your knowledge and practice. Students should have the basic bum-diddy and basic familiarity with both G and Double C tunings.
Who Needs a Drummer When You Have a Pandeiro!
Ami Molinelli
- Week 1
All levels
Learn how to play the Brazilian tambourine—the smallest and coolest drum machine ever made! We will also bring in other Brazilian percussion instruments including tamborim, tan tam, the Brazilian matchbox, ganzá, etc. We will collaborate with Brian Moran’s guitar class to accompany songs. I will have extra pandeiros and other percussion for those who don’t have a drum.
Percussion Biology: Funk It Up!
Ami Molinelli
- Week 1
All levels
Explore the basic foundations of rhythm and how it applies to cultural and musical contexts throughout the Americas. We’ll look at why it’s difficult to play syncopated rhythms and be able to hold the pulse, and learn to hear the layers that make polyrhythms so interesting yet challenging. We”ll also see how percussion instruments such as spoons, sticks, shakers, tablas, and more have shaped music. Instrumentalists and vocalists are welcome!
Vocal Technique for the Mature Voice
Ellen Robinson
- Week 1
All levels
Singing is a skill that requires physical agility, stamina, and strength. Singers are vocal athletes using delicate moving parts, and that vocal mechanism can begin to break down over time. As you get older, or simply by not knowing how to use your voice correctly, it can become croaky or thin, or the pitch can drop and become heavier, or you may find that you have less lung capacity and not as much power in your voice as you would like. In this class we’ll develop habits that will help keep your voice healthy and in good shape for the rest of your life. Then we will apply these techniques to different songs in each class. There will also be an opportunity for mini lessons and specific feedback.
The Magic of Harmony Singing
Ellen Robinson
- Week 1
Level 2–4
This class is all about having fun singing in harmony. We’ll start with some rounds and partner songs, and then move on to three-part harmony, a variety of musical styles from jazz to gospel to pop, and beyond. You’ll be reading from sheet music as well as learning by ear. Come ready to challenge yourself and hold your part and as we raise our voices and create glorious harmony!
Uke Can Improv Too!
Ukulenny
- Week 1
Level 3–4
In a world where strumming often takes center stage, ukulele players rarely take the time to study improvisation. However, learning to take solos can greatly improve your finger strength, coordination, and ability to play by ear. In this class we’ll explore improv through genres like pop, folk, Hawaiian, blues, and jazz so you can truly “make it up as you go!”
Uke Ensemble
Ukulenny
- Week 1
Level 3–4
We’re making the band, ukulele style. This class brings the standard strum-and-sing approach up a notch as we add three-part harmonies, solo ukulele lines, and ukulele percussion to our CCMC Uke Ensemble. Auxiliary instruments such as percussion and horns are also welcome!
Make Me Dance, Laugh, Love, Cry…Break My Heart
Antoinette Olesen
- Week 1
All levels
This songwriting class is a journey that will focus less on the technical and music theory and more on allowing ideas, passion, melodies, and structure to emerge from emotions, feelings, and life stories. You’ll learn to write and turn good songs into great songs in an enjoyable atmosphere. Bring your ideas, melodies, titles, and you will most likely have a song by the end of the week. If you currently have a completed song, please bring it with a printed lyric sheet.
Move Me
Antoinette Olesen
- Week 1
All levels
Whether you are a seasoned performer or just looking to get your toes wet, you will blossom in this inspiring, safe atmosphere to bring out the best in you. We’ll have fun while learning specific methods for you to best connect with your audience and hold their attention. We will work in an enjoyable, relaxed manner to stake your claim on the stage and avoid common mistakes that even some pros make. We’ll be covering mic technique and placement, diction, dynamics, etiquette, set lists, song keys, and dealing with difficult situations. Most of all, you will gain confidence to enjoy the spotlight and perhaps be inspired to play at the student concert. All genres and instruments welcome.
Fingerpicking Essentials and Nuances
Carol McComb
- Week 1
Level 2–3
We’ll start by reviewing fingerpicking basics and improving our right-hand tone and technique. We’ll spend the rest of the week exploring the myriad right-hand patterns available, from simple arpeggios to double thumb movement, pinches, adding simple fills, and moving bass lines. At the end of the week we’ll apply this new knowledge to Travis-style patterns.
From Hank to Linda
Carol McComb
- Week 1
Level 2–5
Classic country songs from the early 1950s though the 1970s, into the birth of country rock. A week full of country music’s finest songs complete with flatpick strums, runs, and easy fills. This class will also work for fingerstyle students. Hugely fun!
Western Swing Fiddle
Katie Glassman
- Week 1
Level 3–5
We’ll explore Western Swing through melody, harmony, rhythm, and improvisation—one layer at a time. Beginning with melody and twin fiddle, bowing feel, guide tones, and improvisation, we’ll build each skill progressively. You’ll learn classic Western Swing repertoire, craft variations, explore twin-fiddle textures, and develop a personal approach to soloing using Katie’s layered improv system. A great fit for fiddlers wanting authentic Western Swing phrasing and more freedom on the fingerboard.
Brazilian Guitar Basics
Brian Moran
- Week 1
Level 3
This class will cover common grooves, chords, and songs in bossa nova and samba, including singing in Portuguese for those who want to. By mid-week we’ll team up with Ami Molinelli’s Brazilian Percussion class and see how the guitars and drums connect. Vamo la gente!
Level Up Your Blues
Brian Moran
- Week 1
Level 2–4
The blues is an eternal source every guitar player draws from, and provides endless musical soil to till. This class will have a bit of everything, from rhythm playing to improvising solos. Major blues, minor blues, using pentatonics and modes, guide tones, 3-note voicings, jazz-blues forms and approaches; if you’re curious about it, we’ll get into it!
Fiddle Dance Tunes
Katie Glassman
- Week 1
Level 2–3
From square dances and waltzes to blues and country, we’ll have fun focusing on what makes fiddle tunes move. We’ll dig into clear, memorable melodies and the authentic bowing styles that bring them to life—creating groove, lift, and natural flow. You’ll learn how subtle bow choices shape rhythm and feel, helping your playing sound more grounded, more rhythmic, and more danceable across styles. The skills from this class carry straight into jams, dances, and any music where the fiddle leads the feel.
Bluegrass Fiddle Tunes and Basic Improvising on the Mandolin
Ida Winfree
- Week 2
Level 2–4
We’ll learn common bluegrass fiddle tunes and the foundations of improvising. We’ll start by learning the tunes and then explore how to add your own style and creative ideas while playing. We’ll explore basic techniques like phrasing and rhythm, which are key to bluegrass music. As we progress, we’ll focus on building your confidence in improvisation, helping you create solos that fit with the tunes. The class will also introduce you to playing with others so you can practice jamming. By the end, you’ll have the knowledge and tools to become comfortable playing bluegrass music and improvising in your own way.
Fundamentals of the Mandolin
Ida Winfree
- Week 2
Level 1–2
This class will focus on the fundamentals of the mandolin. We’ll learn different chords and chord voicings, and then we’ll apply those and practice various rhythms, including chopping and strumming patterns. Finally, we’ll bring it all together and learn a couple of easy fiddle tunes, so you can start playing with others right away! Whether you’re new to music or just new to the mandolin, this class will help you get started on your musical journey.
The Art of Relaxation While Playing the Banjo or Any Other Instrument
Sonia Shell
- Week 2
Level 2–4
The concept of “playing” and “play” will rule the day as we explore how to practice and relax while playing. We will breathe, stretch, and experiment with “doing less” (such as gripping the instrument neck) to provide a path to musical ease. Using simple chord progressions and picking patterns with pop and folk songs, we’ll repeat enough times that we can expand our focus to include our breathing and letting go of muscle tension.
Banjo for Real Life
Sonia Shell
- Week 2
Level 1–2
We’ll focus on hearing chord changes, playing songs (depending on the class level), and analyzing their structure. You’ll earn to identify the sound of the chords, their personality and function. We’ll start in the banjo key of G and also explore A, B, C, D, E, and F! We’ll discuss capo use and that pesky 5th string. We’ll look for melody notes within a chord, making solos based on simple rolls. We’ll avoid the use of paper; instead, students are encouraged to record songs played in class for future practice. Practicing techniques will be discussed, and we’ll practice playing together as a group and switching from chords to solos. Bluegrass banjo traditions will be discussed using traditional bluegrass repetoire.
Foundational Mandolin
Ethan Setiawan
- Week 2
Level 2–4
This fairly comprehensive overview of techniques on the mandolin is aimed at all mandolinists who are able to play at least one tune. We’ll look at ideas for the right and left hands, chords, ear training, metronomes, composition, creativity, and improvisation.
Mandolin Style Survey
Ethan Setiawan
- Week 2
Level 3–5
We’ll look at several styles that often incorporate mandolin and spend some time with each of them. We’ll learn a tune from each style, and then take some time to break apart that style. Learn tricks from the style to make the tunes more interesting and fit the style. We’ll also cover accompaniment and how to back up each style. Genres covered may include bluegrass, swing, old-time, and choro.
Writing Original Tunes in Open Tunings for Solo Fingerstyle Guitar
Adam Roszkiewicz
- Week 2
Level 3–4
What makes a good melody? What are different ways to support a melody with chords and basslines? How do you even start writing something from “nothing”? We’ll explore these questions and more, all in the context of writing original tunes in open tunings. We’ll also discuss how to choose and adapt a tuning to suit the needs of our evolving composition, along with various musical and instrumental techniques to add interest and bring our original tunes to life.
The Melodic Guitar: Modern Flatpicking Techniques
Adam Roszkiewicz
- Week 2
Level 2–3
Incorporating elements of cross-picking and cross-string or “melodic style” banjo techniques, we will learn the tools and techniques to add variety and interest to your flatpicking tunes and solos. We will introduce the elements of the style and cover common licks and patterns, starting with familiar bluegrass instrumentals and fiddle tunes.
Blues Singer’s Essential Guide to Jam Sessions
Pamela Rose
- Week 2
Level 2–5
When you walk into a blues jam session, you have only a moment to explain what you want to the band. No charts, no sheet music! Understanding a few basic cues and how to speak the language the musicians know can transform your time at the microphone from a train wreck to a triumph. We’ll learn different strategies to begin and end a tune, and how to sculpt your song to fit your personal style. All while singing some Muddy Waters, Bonnie Raitt, Etta James, and B. B. King songs.
Feel Like Singing the Blues?
Pamela Rose
- Week 2
Level 1–3
Blues is the most primal, powerful part of your soul…and singing it is more fun than you can possibly imagine. Every singer, regardless of style or experience, has so much to learn from the blues. It is the gateway to learning how to sing with more freedom and soul, and finding your own voice. We’ll dig into the music theory and history of the blues, and you’ll see why this is the perfect music to bring to a jam session anywhere. Come learn about the grandmother of all great American music and deepen your knowledge about musical form while we moan, hum, wail, and sing.
Intro to Improvisation
Caitlin Belém Romtvedt
- Week 2
Level 3
We’ll use a few different methods to think about improvisation—building off of and varying melody lines, working from an understanding of a song’s harmonic structure, and developing our musical intuition and understanding of a style. Come have fun and gain comfort improvising! All instruments are welcome.
Social Dance Comfort
Caitlin Belém Romtvedt
- Week 2
All levels
This survey of popular social dance styles—two-step, waltz, swing, blues—and potentially zydeco or salsa—will focus on the lead/follow connection, musicality, and rhythm. The class aims to help you be more comfortable partner dancing and to have fun!
Swing Duo Lab
Ron Peters
- Week 2
Level 3–4
A swing duo is one of the most challenging and satisfying musical settings. I’ll have a recording and charts for two swing tunes per class for you to choose from. You’ll be paired with a new partner each class, and I’ll coach your duo on how to best support one another. Learn tunes, have fun! For all instruments and singers.
Inversion Immersion
Ron Peters
- Week 2
All levels
Most guitarists learn chords by “shape” with the lowest root note on the 5th or 6th string and the chord tones in any order, or “inversion.” The number of individual notes in a chord indicates the number of inversions available of that chord up the neck. I will show you the simple process of inversion, starting with major and minor triads, and advancing to 4-note swing chords to quickly increase your chord vocabulary. It would be helpful if you already knew the notes up the neck.
Americana/String Band Lab
David Pascoe
- Week 2
Level 2–4
Mix it up and explore the magic of playing a variety of contemporary and trad songs in the Americana genre. We’ll have a daily band scramble, brainstorming in teams to arrange and spice up songs with solos and harmonies. Then we’ll take it for a test drive to see how well the songs shine. The repertoire will be easy to learn and all instruments and vocalists are welcome to join in the fun!
Freshen Up Your Fiddling
David Pascoe
- Week 2
Level 1–3
Feel like your playing could use a refresher? You’re not alone! Whether you’re a relative beginner looking to get your bearings or an intermediate player hoping to unlock new possibilities, this technique-forward class will cover a laundry list of basics to help you build confidence on this utterly fretless, ergonomically squirrely instrument.
Intro to Swing Guitar Accompaniment: Closed Swing Voicings Over Standards
Julian Oliver
- Week 2
Level 3–4
Step into the world of swing and western swing guitar accompaniment as we explore closed-position voicings used in the context of classic jazz and swing standards. We’ll focus on developing a reliable swing feel, understanding common progressions, and contributing musically with intentional groove and stylistic awareness.
Survey of Fiddle Styles: Living Gracefully Outside Your Comfort Zone
Julian Oliver
- Week 2
Level 3–5
Explore fiddling horizons as we learn how to adapt to significantly differing styles, including Texas style, old-time, swing, and bluegrass. Through hands-on examples and style-focused techniques, you’ll learn what makes genres unique, and how to prepare for and navigate them in jam sessions and performance settings. Gain confidence in expanding your repertoire, experimenting with stylistic nuances, and embracing the art of adaptability with grace and curiosity.
Beginning Guitar
Janet Lenore
- Week 2
Level 1
Whether you’re making a new friend of the guitar or you’re returning to your old six-string pal after a hiatus, this will be the class for you. Perhaps you’ve been working on the guitar but you’re experiencing some sort of block—like singing while playing or making your strumming jive with your chord-changing—come to this class and we’ll work through it together.
Instigator
Janet Lenore
- Week 2
All levels
Whether you’re a first-time camper or it’s not your first rodeo, you might like some help figuring out which classes to take. Need some tips about how to feel more comfortable onstage? Having trouble finding some folks to play music with? Stuck for a rhyming word? Let’s bounce some ideas around. Every 4 p.m. workshop period there will be also be a slow jam that will be a good fit for both beginners and people who want hone new skills in a group setting.
Slide and Fingerstyle 2
Donna Herula
- Week 2
Level 3
Advance your acoustic slide guitar and fingerstyle technique by learning songs, licks, and styles of traditional and contemporary blues and roots artists. Students will learn both solo fingerstyle and slide songs, and will learn how to add color while accompanying another instrumentalist. Attention will be given to building skills in improvisation, soloing, and more advanced techniques such as Dead Thumb and alternating thumb/Piedmont Picking. Students may play songs in standard, open G, open D, and minor tunings.
Intro to Bottleneck Slide Guitar
Donna Herula
- Week 2
Level 2–3
Learn all you will need to know to begin and advance your slide guitar playing. Topics covered include types of slides, guitar setup, playing clean notes, rhythmic patterns, vibrato, and right- and left-hand damping techniques. The class will introduce the songs, styles, and licks of the blues slide guitar masters including Muddy Waters, Son House, Mississippi Fred McDowell, and Robert Johnson. Open G and Open D tunings will be explored.
Telling the Story, Writing the Song
Keith Greeninger
- Week 2
All levels
This class will explore the process and simple joy of songwriting in a supportive and trusting environment as we look at the art of blending words, music, story, and spirit into songs of our own. Our goal will be to find new ways to strengthen our unique perspective and style. We’ll look at exercises and ideas for how to help free up thoughts and expression, integrating rhythm, melody, lyrics, and poems. We’ll look at some of the concepts and formulas of various classic writing styles as well. The goal of the class will be to help each person begin, further develop, or complete at least one song of their own.
Co-Writing Songs: Bringing the Poet and the Musician Together
Keith Greeninger
- Week 2
All levels
One of my favorite things in my journey as a songwriter has been joining forces with other people and creating a song I might not have written on my own. In this class we’ll explore the value and advantage of writing songs with others. We’ll focus on the process of people combining strengths, talents, styles, and ideas to create songs together. We’ll also look at the importance of creating an open and supportive space for the creative process to thrive between two artists, and the power of holding on and letting go. This class is open to people of all skill levels and to those who do or do not play an instrument.
Traditional Irish and Scottish Music Session
Jason Crigler
- Week 2
Level 2–5
In this class we’ll learn and play Irish and Scottish traditional music as an ensemble. Fiddle tunes, hornpipes, waltzes, jigs, strathspeys, and reels . . .here is an elegance to these traditional melodies, and the feeling of playing them with a group of other musicians is quite sublime. Open to all acoustic instruments.
Fingerstyle Surf Guitar
Jason Crigler
- Week 2
Level 3–4
Yes, you read that right. In this class we will be learning a variety of surf music tunes arranged specifically for solo fingerstyle guitar. We’ll work on developing greater finger independence in order to play melody and bass parts at the same time, creating what I like to call “the illusion of more.” By the end of the class you’ll have a nice repertoire of unique and interesting solo guitar pieces.
Ready, Set, Jam!
Jen Courter
- Week 2
Level 2–3
Part instruction and part jam, this class invites ukulele players and other musicians with limited group experience to make music together in a welcoming, safe space. We’ll use easygoing songs, many with four chords or fewer, to build core jamming skills. You’ll get clear guidance on reading chord sheet notation, adapting material to your level, using active listening skills to lock in with others, and leading songs effectively. Each session will feature a different musical theme to keep things engaging and fun.
Beginning Ukulele
Jen Courter
- Week 2
Level 1–2
Start your ukulele journey or strengthen the basics in a fun, supportive setting. You’ll learn the most common chords and practice switching between them smoothly, keeping a steady beat with a consistent strumming pattern, and singing while you play. Build your repertoire with well-loved classics and new favorites. Head home with a solid foundation, a set of beginner-friendly arrangements, and practical steps to continue your musical growth. Come experience this approachable, joyful instrument and open the door to so much more!
Let’s Take a Moment to Listen!
Elijah Cole
- Week 2
All levels
Listening to music and talking about it can be as fun as playing it. Through guided listening sessions across many genres, you’ll gain an appreciation for a wider breadth of music. I will guide you through the key moments and concepts to listen for, and we’ll discuss what we’re hearing as a group. Come and expand your playlist! Open to literally anyone and everyone; all levels and all instruments.
Understanding Harmony
Elijah Cole
- Week 2
Level 3–5
This class is all about understanding why one chord moves to the next, so that you can get the most out of those magical moments of tension and resolution. We will begin with the basic chords: 1, 4, and 5, and progress into more complex ideas such as diminished chords and suspended chords. At every step, we will be using the real harmonic choices of composers like James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Stevie Wonder to understand how these ideas are applied in some of the greatest songs ever written. Students will also have the opportunity to bring in their own songs to workshop the harmony and integrate these new ideas.
Ukelele Swing
Neal Chin
- Week 2
Level 3
Are you a lover of both swing music and the ‘ukulele? Then this class is right for you! In this class we’ll look at strategies to comp and solo in a swingin’ kind of way. Learn about seventh chords, ways to navigate the fretboard, and explore the wide world of swing music. Must be comfortable with basic chords and the ability to pick. A great class for those who want to take their ‘ukulele to a swing jam.
Advanced Ukelele
Neal Chin
- Week 2
Level 4–5
A class for ‘ukulele students who are looking to really challenge themselves. We’ll refine our advanced techniques, unpack the subtleties of harmony, do a little bit of arranging, and learn how to create your own roadmaps to jamming. We’ll explore some of the classics and learn about the development and history of our humble instrument. Must be comfortable playing songs with both picking and strumming and have a general understanding of how melody, harmony, and rhythm work together. Bring your questions and let’s dig deep!
Swinging, Groovin’ and Improvisation
Cindy Browne Rosefield
- Week 2
Level 3–5
Bass players: It’s time to do more than just hold it down. In this class, we’ll explore deeper grooves, wider styles (swing, blues, funk, and Latin), and the art of improvisation. You’ll learn how to move confidently from the rhythm section to the melodic spotlight—without losing the groove. One new tune each day, plenty of theory to fuel your solos, and lots of musical fun along the way.
Bass 101
Cindy Browne Rosefield
- Week 2
Level 1–2
For those who are just starting, wanting a refresher course, or just curious as to the magic of playing the bass! Open to all instrumentalists, this class is a great starter for understanding and learning more about simple bass fundamentals such as how to get a good tone, simple hand positions to get you going, and how to create good smooth bass lines in many styles. We will move toward playing “in the pocket” of a few different styles and tricks that make a solid bassist.
Crank It Up!
Steve Smith
- Week 2
Level 3–5
This mandolin class will help you focus on using double stops, chord voicings, and scales melodically with the tunes no matter if you are playing the actual melody or improvising. We’ll work on getting “that sound and drive or pulse” in your music from bluegrass and old-time to roots styles. We’ll also develop a consistency of sound so your music will rise. We’ll work by ear and handouts will be included.
Mandolin Kickstarter
Steve Smith
- Week 2
Level 1–2
Whether you’ve been playing for three months or three years, developing and staying in touch with the basics will help you build and maintain your mandolin skills to help move to the next level. Proper right- and left-hand techniques are a sure way to get you down the mandolin road in all styles. We’ll work on consistent pick direction, finger placement, chord shapes, major and minor pentatonic scales, and a few tunes. We’ll work by ear and with handouts.
Songwriting Guitar
Jon Shain
- Week 2
Level 2–5
We’ll take students’ original songs and work on bringing them up a notch through more nuanced guitar parts. Topics will include adding melody to chords in first position, creating intros and outros to songs, using alternate chords to serve various emotional functions, using the guitar to deepen the emotion of the lyrics with strumming techniques—along with exercises and other fun stuff!
Beginning Fingerstyle Blues
Jon Shain
- Week 2
Level 2
We will concentrate on basic folk-blues fundamentals—getting good tone, alternating thumb technique, and “dead thumb” technique, and adding melodies in the treble strings. We’ll learn an easy blues tune or two along the way. Some TAB reading will be helpful, so we’ll do a quick primer on it at the beginning of the class.
Song as Teacher
Kim Scanlon
- Week 2
All levels
Two ways a singer can develop: 1) study the intelligence of the body and 2) study the intelligence of a song. This class focuses on the latter. Learn simple but potent song study practices. All genres (except western Classical) welcome.
The Mysteries of Vocal Blend
Kim Scanlon
- Week 2
All levels
When you sing with someone (in unison or in harmony), you’re attuning to several things: inhale, tone, vowel, gesture, and objective pitch. Learn practices that enhance your ability to perceive—and match—all five. Suitable for all genres.
String Band
Avram Siegel
- Week 2
Level 3–5
We’ll arrange one song at a time, as we would for a performance. We’ll work on intros and outros, soloing, vocal leads and harmonies, dynamics, and the elusive groove that makes music cook whether it’s bluegrass, country, swing, old-time, or related string band styles. All stringed instruments are welcome.
Bluegrass Banjo
Avram Siegel
- Week 2
Level 3
In this class we’ll cover rhythm and backup, solo breaks, and how the banjo fits into a band setting. We’ll also look at right- and left-hand technique to improve tone, timing, and speed. Students should be familiar with basic open and closed chord shapes. Bring a 5-string banjo, fingerpicks, a thumbpick, and a capo.
Fiddle: Advanced Creative Improvising
Miles Quale
- Week 2
Level 3–4
If you’ve ever been in a jam and wanted to play more interesting solos, or listened to one of your favorite on-stage shredders and wished you could level up your improv, this class is for you. We’ll borrow blues licks and explore jazz ideas to incorporate bowing and tonalities from other music genres into our everyday bluegrass, folk, and Americana playing.
Intermediate Bluegrass Fiddling
Miles Quale
- Week 2
Level 2–3
Have you ever listened to a cool Bobby Hicks tune, or maybe a Vassar Clements solo, and wondered how those guys got so good? We’ll dig into exercises and practice techniques that will help us move towards creating the sounds of our bluegrass heroes.
Mysteries of Brazilian Rhythms to the American Influences
Ami Molinelli
- Week 2
Level 2–5
We will identify how bossa nova originated from the samba and how the guitar and percussion lock together through small percussion instruments. We’ll delve into the Bo Diddley beat and clave and what makes them similar yet so different. What is a 6/8 pattern and why do you hear it in jazz? This class will use auxiliary percussion and tambourines, shakers, clave, Brazilian pandeiro, and more, and unlock percussion you can play at any jam! Instruments provided: Pandeiro, tambourines, shakers, clave, and more!
Sticks and Stones Won’t Break Your Bones!
Ami Molinelli
- Week 2
All levels
This class will get into rudiments and sticking technique on bucket drums! Say “YES” to the BUCKET! We will also learn about note values and how to be a better rhythm player. Get ready to read and learn an unusual percussion composition! This class will be about playing American-inspired rhythms, using the “unusual” as a percussion instrument, reinforcing rhythms, and dissecting the GROOVE. Instruments provided: buckets, dowels. Please bring your own hands.
Flatpicking Solos: Kick it Up a Notch
Tim May
- Week 2
Level 3–4
In this class we’ll explore simple ways to approach improvisation, which Duke Ellington called “spontaneous composition.” We’ll be targeting chord tones and looking at key centers and opportunities to play one major scale over a variety of changes. In real life, though, not every solo needs to be improvised—we’ll add to our soloing toolkit by introducing major and minor blues, folded scales, crosspicking, harmonized scales, and more. Lots can be learned from great soloists like Doc Watson, Tony Rice, and Clarence White, so we will break down some of what they did to learn some new techniques.
Get Started With Soloing: What To Do When They Say “Take It!”
Tim May
- Week 2
Level 2–3
Bluegrass, country, folk, and related music genres offer opportunities to create solos; we’ll explore methods for creating solos from scratch. Our goal is to keep the melody pure while creating interest, using techniques like “neighbor notes,” crosspicking, drones, and more. Players like Maybelle Carter and Norman Blake were masters at creating melody-driven solos interwoven with rhythm concepts; we’ll break down what they did and steal their ideas. Lots of playing in class and lots of fun!
Harmony Singing
Cara Luft
- Week 2
All levels
Come experience the fun and unique qualities of singing with others in harmony and learn to capture the essence of a song with your voice. We will explore listening techniques, how to recognize chordal relationships and basic harmony building blocks, how harmony fits into the melodic landscape, how to sing better lines while picking up some vocal techniques and exercises along the way. Join us for a fun and empowering experience! Everything is taught by ear and learned as a group.
School of Rock for Folkies
Cara Luft
- Week 2
All levels
Experience immense musical joy as a group while “folkin’ up” classic pop/rock songs in 2- and 3-part harmony. Come prepared to sing your heart out, laugh and have loads of fun, all while rocking out folk-style! We’ll explore learning and arranging a song as a group, dynamics within a song, blending instruments, listening to each other, knowing when to sing/play simply and when to step it up, how to play in support of the vocalist or soloist, and how to get out of the way and let the song speak. Any acoustic instrument is welcome. With voices and instruments working together, we’ll bring these songs to life!
My Two Cents
Sue Horowitz
- Week 2
Level 2–5
Songwriting circles are designed to help you grow as a composer. Would you like help knowing if your song works? Needs a bridge? Makes sense to the listener? Could benefit from chord changes? The possibilities are endless. Bring your song baby to the group for helpful and supportive feedback, which you can take or toss—it’s your song! You are welcome to drop in and out of this class as the schedule works for you. Please come ready to share a song that you would like feedback on.
Songwriting Playground
Sue Horowitz
- Week 2
All levels
Whether you are new to songwriting, an experienced songwriter trying to break out of a rut, or just looking for more tools for your toolbox, this session is for you. We will play in the songwriting playground with music and lyrics prompts and writing exercises. Every day will be a different prompt; you are welcome to drop in for a single session or come for the whole week to play in a creative space. Bring a pen and paper, your instrument if applicable, something to record on, and an open mind and heart!
Moving on in Swing: Intermediate Swing Guitar
Sylvia Herold
- Week 2
Level 3–4
This class is for those who have previously taken a swing guitar class or two. You’ll learn a selection of standards, ballads, Latin, and show tunes as you expand your chord vocabulary—including inversions—and practice right-hand strumming for the all-important swing feel. Soloing and singing are encouraged!
Swing Gently: Intro to Swing Guitar
Sylvia Herold
- Week 2
Level 3
How does one get from playing first-position chords (G, C, D, etc.) to playing swing and jazz? I’ll show you the way! I’ve helped hundreds of students discover the joys of playing up the neck using simple swing tunes and a pared-down palette of chords. We’ll spend most of our time playing, strumming, and gently swinging to a selection of old-fashioned songs.
Theory Applied to Guitar
Nina Gerber
- Week 2
Level 3–5
Knowing where you are, where you’re going, and how to get there makes for a smoother trip. This class will start you on the path to understanding the fretboard. Whether you’re looking to play more leads or find more chords, a little knowledge goes a long way (practicing helps too).
Play Well With Others
Nina Gerber
- Week 2
Level 3
Playing music with others can be a deeply moving, exciting experience. In this class, we’ll explore ways of playing together without banging out the same chords the same way at the same time as everyone else. Experiment with different voicings for different rhythms and varying melodic lines. Learn when to play and when to lay out, and ways to play music WITH each other instead of AT each other.